After 35 years of being called One Little Indian, the label home of Björk is finally changing its name, which the U.K. imprint has admitted is "offensive."
Today label founder Derek Birkett announced the independent label will change its name from One Little Indian to One Little Independent Records after one fan in particular called out the label over its name.
"I have immediately started making arrangements to stop using the One Little Indian Records name and logo, with our digital properties in the process of this change right now," wrote Birkett in a Facebook post. "From today the label will be called One Little Independent Records."
Explaining the move after all these years, Birkett wrote: "The last few weeks have been a monumental learning curve. Following the receipt of an eye-opening letter from a Crass fan that detailed precisely why the logo and label name are offensive, as well as the violent history of the terminology, I felt equally appalled and grateful to them for making me understand what must be changed."
He continued:
As a teenager living in London in the late 1970s, my friends and I were deeply inspired when we learned about some of the philosophies of the Indigenous People of the Americas, of peace and love for each other and for nature and the planet, and in turn they were of huge influence in our anarchist punk movement. I was naive enough at the time of founding my label to think that the name and logo was reflective of my respect and appreciation of the culture.
I'm aware that my white privilege has sheltered me and fostered my ignorance on these issues. I realise now that the label name and logo instead perpetuated a harmful stereotyping and exploitation of Indigenous Peoples' culture. This is the exact opposite of what was intended. However, I know that it is not the intentions but the impact that is important.
Birkett then offered up an apology: "I want to apologise unreservedly to anyone that has been offended by the name and the logo. I recognise now that both contribute to racism and should have been addressed a long, long time ago."
One Little Indian was founded in 1985 by Birkett, who formerly played in the group Flux of Pink Indians. Over the years, the label been home to such artists as Björk, Sigur Rós, Sugarcubes, A.R. Kane and even Paul McCartney, who released his album Electric Arguments as the Fireman through the imprint.
You can read Birkett's entire announcement post below.
Today label founder Derek Birkett announced the independent label will change its name from One Little Indian to One Little Independent Records after one fan in particular called out the label over its name.
"I have immediately started making arrangements to stop using the One Little Indian Records name and logo, with our digital properties in the process of this change right now," wrote Birkett in a Facebook post. "From today the label will be called One Little Independent Records."
Explaining the move after all these years, Birkett wrote: "The last few weeks have been a monumental learning curve. Following the receipt of an eye-opening letter from a Crass fan that detailed precisely why the logo and label name are offensive, as well as the violent history of the terminology, I felt equally appalled and grateful to them for making me understand what must be changed."
He continued:
As a teenager living in London in the late 1970s, my friends and I were deeply inspired when we learned about some of the philosophies of the Indigenous People of the Americas, of peace and love for each other and for nature and the planet, and in turn they were of huge influence in our anarchist punk movement. I was naive enough at the time of founding my label to think that the name and logo was reflective of my respect and appreciation of the culture.
I'm aware that my white privilege has sheltered me and fostered my ignorance on these issues. I realise now that the label name and logo instead perpetuated a harmful stereotyping and exploitation of Indigenous Peoples' culture. This is the exact opposite of what was intended. However, I know that it is not the intentions but the impact that is important.
Birkett then offered up an apology: "I want to apologise unreservedly to anyone that has been offended by the name and the logo. I recognise now that both contribute to racism and should have been addressed a long, long time ago."
One Little Indian was founded in 1985 by Birkett, who formerly played in the group Flux of Pink Indians. Over the years, the label been home to such artists as Björk, Sigur Rós, Sugarcubes, A.R. Kane and even Paul McCartney, who released his album Electric Arguments as the Fireman through the imprint.
You can read Birkett's entire announcement post below.
